Edward sat on the couch with Brian, watching the news coverage of Nanci being surrounded by the crowd. As he saw her being bullied, a dark aura seemed to emanate from him. Brian, unable to hold back his anger, was about to rush out to come to Nanci’s rescue when Edward suddenly regained consciousness.
“Wait… wait for me. I’m coming too,” Edward said, his voice low and filled with rage.
Brian, startled, turned around to see Edward’s fiery gaze. “You’re back? I thought you’d need Nanci to take care of you for the rest of your life!” he exclaimed.
Ignoring Brian’s shock, Edward stormed out, leaving Brian to chase after him, shouting, “Wait for me!” Edward sped off in his car, driving recklessly to the company. Brian, left behind, muttered angrily, “Tsk! Don’t you dare come back!”
When Edward arrived at the company, he saw the entrance swarming with people. He pushed through the crowd, desperate to reach Nanci and hold her in his arms, to apologize for everything. At the time, everyone was too busy criticizing Nanci to notice his arrival-until he spoke up.
Nanci, waking up in Edward’s private break room, sat up abruptly, unsure of what was happening outside. She vaguely remembered losing her temper and snapping back at the reporters’ harsh questions. As the crowd’s accusations grew louder, she felt dizzy and on the verge of fainting. Just before she blacked out, she thought she saw Edward. She quickly put on her shoes and rushed out, only to find him sitting calmly in a chair.
She couldn’t believe it, thinking it was still a dream. She pinched her arm hard, feeling the pain, and realized it was real. Edward, noticing she was awake, immediately stood up and pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her hair. “Nanci, I’m sorry I’m late. You’ve suffered so much. I’m here now, and I’ll protect you,” he whispered.
Feeling his warmth, Nanci finally broke down, tears streaming down her face. She pounded his chest, crying, “You jerk! You finally decided to come back, leaving me alone for so long and making me go through all this…”
Edward held her tightly, softly patting her back. “Don’t cry. It’s all my fault. I’m here now, and everything will be okay. I won’t let anyone who hurt you get away with it. They’ll all pay the price,” he promised.
Hearing his words, Nanci couldn’t hold back and cried freely. Edward continued to comfort her, apologizing repeatedly until she finally calmed down. “You’re exhausted. Go back and rest. I’ll handle everything else,” he said gently.
Nanci, who had been running on sheer willpower, finally felt the weight of her exhaustion. She closed her eyes, and Edward, seeing her swollen eyes, tenderly brushed the hair from her face before tucking her back into bed.
Edward left the break room and called for Issac. “Gather everyone outside my office in five minutes. I have an announcement to make,” he ordered coldly. He then turned to Jacob. “Tell me everything that’s happened while I was away. Don’t leave out a single detail.”
Jacob, still furious on Nanci’s behalf, recounted everything that had transpired. Edward’s frown deepened as he listened, and his heart ached for Nanci. “Get me a list of everyone who wanted to resign during that time,” he said icily.
The employees, waiting outside the CEO’s office, whispered nervously. No one dared to breathe too loudly, fearing they might attract Edward’s wrath.
Edward walked out slowly, scanning the crowd of unfamiliar faces. These were the people who dared to bully the woman he cherished. He turned to Issac. “Read the list.”
Issac began reading the names aloud. Those whose names were called initially thought they were being rewarded, but their smiles quickly faded when Edward spoke, “Those on the list can go collect your pay. I don’t need people who abandon ship at the first sign of trouble. The rest of you will receive a raise.”
The named employees pleaded immediately, “Mr. Clarkson, we were wrong! Please give us another chance!”
“I was foolish! Don’t fire me! I have a family to support!”
Edward remained unmoved. “You should’ve thought about the consequences before making your choices,” he said coldly.
Issac could only offer a sympathetic shrug.
Back in his office, Edward began contemplating how to deal with Elizabeth and Sophie. They had crossed the line one too many times, and today’s events had pushed him to his limit. “Elizabeth, Sophie, you’ve had too many chances. Don’t blame me for this!” he thought, his eyes dark with anger.
He sat in his office for a long time, replaying the image of Nanci suffering alone. By the time he snapped out of his thoughts, it was almost dark.
Nanci woke up in the break room and called out, “Edward?”
Hearing her voice, Edward immediately opened the door and walked in, smiling. “You’re awake. Are you hungry? Let’s go eat, and then I’ll take you to see a show.”
Nanci, confused, asked, “What show? I don’t want to go out. Let’s just go home.”
“This show won’t be complete without you. Let’s grab something to eat first, okay?”
“I want seafood!”
Edward chuckled. “Seafood it is.”
After freshening up, Nanci took Edward’s arm, and they left together.
At the restaurant, Nanci ordered a feast, and Edward teased, “You ordered so much. Are you sure you can finish it all?”
Nanci pouted, “You have no idea how much I’ve suffered while you were sick. I deserve to splurge a little!”
“My bad, my bad. Eat as much as you want. If it’s not enough, we’ll order more. You can eat to your heart’s content.”
As they waited for the food, Nanci played with her phone, ignoring Edward. She wanted to teach him a lesson for leaving her to deal with everything alone. Edward, however, simply watched her, noticing how much weight she had lost.
When the food was served, Nanci dug in while Edward patiently peeled shrimp for her. “Eat up. You can be mad at me after you’re full,” he said with a smile.
Touched by his patience, Nanci finally spoke, “You eat too. My plate’s already full.”
Seeing that she was no longer angry, Edward smiled. “Alright, let’s eat together. After this, I’ll take you to the show.”
As they ate, Edward suddenly asked, “When are we getting married?”
Nanci, mid-bite, nearly choked. “What? Marriage?”
Edward grinned. “I think I heard someone say in a dream that we’d get married once I woke up. Well, I’m awake now. So?”
Nanci tried to brush it off. “That was just a dream. Don’t take it seriously. Let’s just eat.”
Edward, however, wasn’t buying it. He simply smiled, watching her blush.
Nanci focused on her food, avoiding his gaze. Edward, finding her adorable, couldn’t resist. He gently turned her face toward him and kissed her deeply, leaving her breathless. As she leaned against him, he whispered, “Nanci, thank you for taking care of me while I was sick. I knew everything, but I couldn’t control myself.”
Nanci covered his mouth. “It’s okay. I understand. It wasn’t your fault. As your girlfriend, taking care of you was my responsibility.”
“Even bathing me?”
Nanci’s eyes widened. “Were you really sick, or were you faking it? How do you know everything?”
“I told you, I was aware of everything. I just couldn’t control my actions. You’ve seen me naked. Aren’t you going to take responsibility?”
Nanci glared at him. “Shouldn’t that be the other way around? You’re the one who should take responsibility for me! I didn’t complain about how exhausting it was to bathe you!”
Edward raised an eyebrow. “Then I’ll take responsibility for you. Let’s get married tomorrow.”
Nanci protested, “Who said I want to marry you? That’s not what I meant!”
Edward smirked. “Don’t you want to marry me?”
Frustrated, Nanci snapped, “You’re much more likable when you’re not talking.”
Edward pulled her into his arms, laughing. “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t given you a proper proposal yet. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure it’s unforgettable. I’ll make you the happiest woman alive. How does that sound?”
Nanci huffed, “We’ll see about that when you actually propose.”